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Het volk klaagt over het manna

11 Maar het volk begon te mopperen en te klagen. De Heer hoorde het en werd er vreselijk boos over. Hij liet een grote brand ontstaan aan de rand van het tentenkamp. Het volk schreeuwde Mozes om hulp en Mozes bad tot de Heer. Toen doofde het vuur. Daarom noemden ze die plaats Tabera (= 'brand'), omdat daar het vuur van de Heer had gebrand.

De vreemdelingen die met hen uit Egypte meegereisd waren, begonnen terug te verlangen naar Egypte. Toen gingen ook de Israëlieten weer mopperen en klagen: "Hadden we maar vlees te eten! En weet je nog hoeveel vis we in Egypte zomaar konden eten! En wat hadden we een lekkere komkommers en meloenen, preien, uien en knoflook! Maar nu drogen we uit. Er is helemaal niets te eten. We hebben alleen maar dat manna."[a]

Het manna smaakte naar korianderzaad en had de kleur van balsemhars. Het volk ging het elke dag verzamelen. Daarna maalden ze het of stampten ze het fijn. Daarna kookten ze het en maakten er koeken van, die naar oliekoeken smaakten. Telkens wanneer 's nachts de dauw op het tentenkamp neerkwam, kwam ook het manna op het kamp neer.

10 Mozes hoorde hoe de mensen bij hun tenten klaagden. En de Heer werd vreselijk boos. Ook Mozes vond het verkeerd dat ze zo klaagden. 11 Hij zei tegen de Heer: "Waarom maakt U het mij toch zo moeilijk? Waarom doet U mij dit aan? Waarom moet ík voor dit volk zorgen? 12 Is dit hele volk soms míjn kind? Is het soms uit míj geboren? Want U zegt tegen mij: 'Draag dit volk en zorg voor dit volk, zoals een moeder voor haar baby zorgt.' Waarom moet ík het naar het land brengen dat U aan hun voorvaders Abraham, Izaäk en Jakob heeft beloofd? 13 Ze zeuren aldoor bij mij om vlees! Maar waar moet ik vlees vandaan halen voor zoveel mensen? 14 Ik kan het niet aan om in mijn eentje voor dit volk te zorgen. Het is te moeilijk! 15 Als ik het alleen moet doen, heb ik liever dat U mij doodt. Dan ben ik van al die ellende af!"

De zeventig leiders

16 Toen zei de Heer tegen Mozes: "Breng 70 mannen uit dit volk bij Mij. Mannen van wie je weet dat zij leiders zijn onder het volk. Breng hen naar de tent van ontmoeting. Daar moeten ze bij jou gaan staan. 17 Dan zal Ik naar beneden komen en daar met je spreken. En een deel van de Geest die op jou is, zal Ik ook op hen leggen. Dan kunnen zij samen met jou voor dit volk zorgen. Dan hoef je het niet meer alleen te doen. 18 En zeg tegen het volk: Maak je klaar om morgen de Heer te ontmoeten. Dan zullen jullie vlees te eten hebben. Jullie hebben immers tegen de Heer gejammerd: 'We willen zo graag vlees eten! In Egypte hadden we het zo goed!' De Heer zal jullie vlees geven en jullie zullen het eten. 19 Jullie zullen het niet één dag eten, geen twee dagen, geen vijf dagen, geen tien dagen en geen 20 dagen, maar een hele maand lang. 20 Tot het jullie de neus uitkomt en jullie ervan walgen. Want jullie hebben geen zin gehad om de Heer die bij jullie woont, te vertrouwen. Want jullie hebben tegen Hem gejammerd: 'Waarom zijn we eigenlijk uit Egypte vertrokken?' " 21 Maar Mozes antwoordde: "Heer, dit volk bestaat uit 600.000 mensen! Hoe kunt U dan zeggen dat U hun zoveel vlees zal geven dat ze er een hele maand van kunnen eten? 22 Kunnen er dan zoveel schapen en koeien worden geslacht dat ze er genoeg van kunnen eten? Kunnen we soms alle vissen uit de zee verzamelen zodat ze genoeg te eten zullen hebben?" 23 Maar de Heer zei tegen Mozes: "Zou Ik niet machtig genoeg zijn? Jullie zullen zien of Ik wel of niet kan doen wat Ik heb gezegd!"

24 Mozes ging naar buiten en vertelde het volk wat de Heer tegen hem had gezegd. Hij verzamelde 70 mannen uit de leiders van het volk. Hij zei tegen hen dat ze rondom de tent moesten komen staan. 25 Toen kwam de Heer in de wolk naar beneden en sprak met Mozes. En Hij nam een deel van de Geest die op Mozes was en legde die op de 70 leiders. Toen de Geest op hen kwam, profeteerden zij. Maar daarna niet meer.

26 Twee mannen die wel waren uitgekozen om bij de 70 mannen te horen, waren niet naar de tent van ontmoeting gekomen. Ze waren in het kamp gebleven. De ene heette Eldad, de ander Medad. Toen de Geest op de leiders kwam, kwam Hij ook op hen. Ze profeteerden in het tentenkamp. 27 Een jonge man rende naar Mozes en zei hem: "Eldad en Medad zijn in het tentenkamp aan het profeteren!" 28 Jozua, de zoon van Nun, één van de jonge mannen die Mozes dienden, antwoordde: "Mijn heer Mozes, verbied hun dat!" 29 Maar Mozes zei tegen hem: "Wil je het voor mij opnemen? Maar ik zou wel willen dat de Heer met zijn Geest álle mensen van dit volk liet profeteren!" 30 En Mozes ging met de leiders terug naar het tentenkamp.

De vogels komen

31 Toen zorgde de Heer ervoor dat het ging waaien. De wind bracht kwartels mee uit de richting van de zee. De vogels streken neer in het hele tentenkamp. Ze lagen tot een dagreis ver rond het kamp, in een laag van ongeveer 2 el (90 cm) dik. 32 Die hele dag en de hele nacht en de hele volgende dag waren de mensen bezig om de vogels te verzamelen. De man die het minste had verzameld, had nog altijd 10 homer (2200 liter).[b] Ze spreidden de vogels uit rond het tentenkamp om het vlees te drogen. 33 Maar toen ze ervan aten en het vlees nog tussen hun tanden hadden, werd de Heer vreselijk boos. Hij strafte hen, nog vóórdat ze het vlees doorgeslikt hadden. Hij doodde heel veel mensen omdat ze zo zaten te schrokken. 34 Daarom noemden ze die plaats Kibrot-Taäva (= 'graven van de schrokkers'), omdat ze daar de mensen begroeven die zo hadden zitten schrokken.

35 Van Kibrot-Taäva trok het volk naar Hazerot. Daar zetten ze hun tenten op.

Footnotes

  1. Numeri 11:6 Lees Exodus 16.
  2. Numeri 11:32 Een homer is een mand waar 220 liter in kan.
'Numbers 11 ' not found for the version: Worldwide English (New Testament).

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained(A) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,(B) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.(C) Then fire from the Lord burned among them(D) and consumed(E) some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed(F) to the Lord(G) and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah,[a](H) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.(I)

Quail From the Lord

The rabble with them began to crave other food,(J) and again the Israelites started wailing(K) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.(L) But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!(M)

The manna was like coriander seed(N) and looked like resin.(O) The people went around gathering it,(P) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. When the dew(Q) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing(R) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble(S) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?(T) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,(U) to the land you promised on oath(V) to their ancestors?(W) 13 Where can I get meat for all these people?(X) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.(Y) 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me(Z)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders(AA) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.(AB) Have them come to the tent of meeting,(AC) that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you(AD) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.(AE) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.(AF)

18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves(AG) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,(AH) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”(AI) Now the Lord will give you meat,(AJ) and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it(AK)—because you have rejected the Lord,(AL) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”(AM)

21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men(AN) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”(AO)

23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?(AP) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.(AQ)

24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud(AR) and spoke with him,(AS) and he took some of the power of the Spirit(AT) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.(AU) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied(AV)—but did not do so again.

26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,(AW) and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 Joshua son of Nun,(AX) who had been Moses’ aide(AY) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”(AZ)

29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets(BA) and that the Lord would put his Spirit(BB) on them!”(BC) 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail(BD) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth(BE) and before it could be consumed, the anger(BF) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.(BG) 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,[d](BH) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth(BI) and stayed there.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning.
  2. Numbers 11:31 That is, about 3 feet or about 90 centimeters
  3. Numbers 11:32 That is, possibly about 1 3/4 tons or about 1.6 metric tons
  4. Numbers 11:34 Kibroth Hattaavah means graves of craving.

The People Complain

11 Now (A)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; (B)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the (C)fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people (D)cried out to Moses, and when Moses (E)prayed to the Lord, the fire was [a]quenched. So he called the name of the place [b]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

Now the (F)mixed multitude who were among them [c]yielded to (G)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: (H)“Who will give us meat to eat? (I)We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now (J)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

Now (K)the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and (L)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. And (M)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and (N)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 (O)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the [d]burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, (P)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (Q)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You (R)swore[e] to their fathers? 13 (S)Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (T)I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and (U)do not let me see my wretchedness!”

The Seventy Elders

16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me (V)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (W)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. (X)I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 Then you shall say to the people, [f]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (Y)in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 (Z)but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have (AA)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, (AB)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”

21 And Moses said, (AC)“The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 (AD)Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”

23 And the Lord said to Moses, (AE)“Has[g] the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether (AF)what I say will happen to you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he (AG)gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, (AH)when the Spirit rested upon them, that (AI)they prophesied, [h]although they never did so again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who (AJ)had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, (AK)forbid them!”

29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you [i]zealous for my sake? (AL)Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

The Lord Sends Quail

31 Now a (AM)wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten (AN)homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But while the (AO)meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. 34 So he called the name of that place [j]Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.

35 (AP)From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:2 extinguished
  2. Numbers 11:3 Lit. Burning
  3. Numbers 11:4 Lit. lusted intensely
  4. Numbers 11:11 responsibility
  5. Numbers 11:12 solemnly promised
  6. Numbers 11:18 Set yourselves apart
  7. Numbers 11:23 Is the Lord’s power limited?
  8. Numbers 11:25 Tg., Vg. and they did not cease
  9. Numbers 11:29 jealous
  10. Numbers 11:34 Lit. Graves of Craving

11 And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.

And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.

And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

11 And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.

25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.

28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord'S people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!

30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31 And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.

34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.

35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.